Chicago Children's Museum - Illinois

Address:700 E Grand Ave.
Chicago, Illinois
Tel: (312) 527-1000

Come explore the Sahara and dig for dinosaur bones! One of the most popular attractions in town, the Chicago Children's Museum has 15 fun-filled permanent exhibits and loads of recreation for the whole family.

The Chicago Children's Museum has three floors of interactive permanent and changing exhibits, right on the historic Navy Pier. The most popular exhibit is the Climbing Schooner, a three-story replica of a sailing ship from the 1850s that kids can actually climb. The Dinosaur Expedition gives children the opportunity to visit the Sahara, conduct scientific research, and dig for the bones of Suchomimus. The Face to Face exhibit teaches kids about prejudice and ways to deal with it. For toddlers, the PlayMaze offers a mini-city with everything from a gas station to a city bus to explore. The Chicago Children's Museum also has a varying schedule of multicultural programs, performances and workshops.

Visitors should allow two to three hours here; try to drop by on the first Monday of every month to get free admission for ages 15 and under, or Thursday evenings from 5-8 p.m. to get free admission for everyone. The best way to get here is by the CTA; from downtown, connect with buses #29 state, #65 grand, #66 Chicago or the #124 Navy Pier Express directly to the museum at Navy Pier. There is free trolley service, which is available daily between Navy Pier and State Street between Grand Avenue and Illinois Street, so there's no excuse to miss this awesome kids' wonderland of a museum!

Chicago Children's Museum's mission is to create a community where play and learning connect. The museum's primary audience is children up through the fifth grade including their families, along with the school and community groups that support and influence children's growth and development.